Humidifier



'Jan. 10, 1933. A. .1. LORENZ ET AL HUMIDIFI ER Filed Febf 24. 1931 2Sheets-Sheet l "I MI PDQ/"672.2

Jan. 10, 1933. A. J. LORENZ ET AL 1,893,954

HUMIDIFIER Filed Feb. 24. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet :2

' d e/i022 J [arazz 59% if flaw/man Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES\IPATENVT OFFICE ANTHONY J. LORENZ AND FRANK E. HARTMAN, OF CHICAGO,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS,

BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING LABORA-TORIES, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS HUMIDIFIERApplication filed February 24, 1931. Serial No. 517,714.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for adding moistureto the air. More particularly, this invention relates to a portablehumidifier adapted .to be used in residences, ofiices, stores, and thelike.

Heretofore, the market has afforded only relatively expensivehumidifiers designed primarily for humidification of large rooms andapartment buildings. Small residences, individual offices, and storespace have been practically without relatively inexpensive means ofobtaining theadvantages of properly humidified air.

It is therefore an object of this invention to produce a humidifier forsmall residences and individual ofiice or store space at a reasonablecost.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a portablehumidifier apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide automatic means in ahumidifier to throw the humidifying apparatus out of power when thewater supply necessary for efficient humidification requiresreplenishing.

It is a further important object of this invention to provide airpreheating means in a humidifying apparatus to cause maximum absorptionof moisture by the heated air in passing through the apparatus, therebyavoiding the relatively more expensive method now in use of heating thewater to be evaporated.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide means in ahumidifier apparatus Whereb conditioned air from said apparatus may earomatized.

A special object of this invention is to provide a small, portable,efficient device for delivering moist air into display or storing spacesto preserve or freshen the material stored therein.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a humidifier apparatusembddying our invention, with parts in elevation.

Figure 2 is a cross sectional view taken substlantially along the lineIIII OfFigure Figure 3 is a fragmentary and elevational view of themoist air delivery opening showing the positioning of the aromatizer.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a preferred form of capillary sheetmounted in a removable support.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines VV ofFi re 4, showing a preferred form of support or the capillary material.

Figure 6 is a sectional view of an alternative form of capillary sheets.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the reference numeral 1 indicates the housing ofthe humidifier, which is provided with a removable top 2 and a reservoir3 for containing water. The humidifier box or housing 1 is equipped withan intake opening 4 (Figure 2) in the upper half of the box and anoutlet 5 in the end of the box opposite the inlet 4. The box 1 ismounted upon a base 6 projecting beyond the side of the housingcontaining the intake opening. A motor driven fan 7 is mounted upon theextended portion of the base 6 positioned so that the fan blades aredirectly opposite the opening 4. Heating coils 8 (Figure 2) arepositioned directly in front of the fan blades. Any source of heat maybe used, preferably that obtained by passing an electric current througha resistance wire, as shown in Figure 2.

The fan 7 and heating coil 8 are energized in parallel by an electriccurrent through wires 9. A mercoid switch 10 is interposed in series inthe fan circuit. The mercoid 10 is mounted upon a cradle 11 which ispivoted freely from the side of the box 1 through a pivot 12 secured inthe box wall by means of a bracket 13. A float 14 in an open sidedhousing 19 is positioned in the water reservoir 3. Said float 14 isrigidly attached to the cradle 11 by means of a rod 15.

Sheets of absorbent material 16 (Figure 2) are supported in the box 1frombrackets 17 positioned at spaced intervals at the top and bottom ofthe box. The sheets are suspended from these brackets 17 parallel to theflow of air through the box 1 by means of books 18 secured to thesheets.

As best shown in Figures 1 and 3, an aromatizer or dispenser 20 isdetachably mounted in the center of the moist air outlet 5 by means ofhooks 21. Said aromatizer consists of a reservoir,22 containing aperfume, deodorant, or other aromatic substance. A wick or sheet ofabsorbent material 23 is partially immersed in the reservoir 22 and heldin the top of the dispenser 20 by an outwardly projectingrim 24. Theback portion of the reservoir'22 extends above the reservoir liquid lineand is equipped with an opening forming tained in the reservoir 22 isexposed to the.

a passageway 25 so that the capillary material 23 is exposed to airpassing from the humidifier. In this way a maximum surface for theevaporation of the aromatic substances conissuing air streams.

In Figures 4 and 5, the reference numeral indicates a preferred form ofcapillary,

' absorbent sheet material mounted on a rack 32 by means of brackets 31.The rack, as best shown in Figure 5, consists of a wire frame 32'havingthe form of an inverted U. A bar 33 is rigidly attached across theopen end ofthe U. The rack is composed of two end members 32 havingcross members 35 attached to the top part of the end frame and crossmembers 34 rigidly attached to the bot- ,tom bar or rod 33. To addrigidity to the rack, transverse members 36 and 37 are firmly attachedto the sides of the end frame. Each sheet 30 is mounted into the rack bymeans of hooks 31-secured to the ends of the sheet. To prevent excessivestress on the sheet, its vertical ends, or all of its edges, may betaped with any strong, flexible material such as a strip of thin sheetzinc and the hooks 31 may be secured to said strip.

Sheet 30 contains wafiie-like depressions 3 8 tF provide additionalsurface for contact with air passing through the humidifier. The rack 32fully equipped with sheets 30 mounted on each of the bars 34 and 35 inspaced parallel position may be lowered into the humidifier box as anentire unit. As the passage of air throughthe box is parallel to thesurface of the sheet, the corrugatedsurface presented by sheets 30affords. ample contact surface for the air, permitting maximumabsorption of moisture.

In Figure 6 the reference numeral 40 indicates an alternative form ofsheet whereby the material is crimped to present a bafilelike surface tothe flow of air through the humidifier box. The ends of the sheet aremounted in tapes 41 to add rigidity to the (sheet. The tape 41 may beany adhesive tape or if desired a flexible metal may be used. In someinstances it may be preferable tomount the sheet in a rigid frame.

' nected to a source of electrical current (not shown). The reservoir ofthe humidifier box is filled with water until the float positioned inthe box rises and causes the mercoid switch mounted on a cradle attachedto the float to tip and the mercury in the mercoid to make contact withboth terminals, thereby completing the electrical circuit and startingthe fan in operation. The heating coils positioned directly in front ofthe fan may be also thrown into operation, if desired. Air from the roomor from any source is drawn through the motor-driven fan 7 into thehumidifier box.

A series of panels or sheets of any suitable capillary material such asfilter or blotting paper, vegetable or animal-fiber, porous ceramic wareor any material that will serve as a wick for elevating water throughoutits entire exposed surface are mounted in spaced parallel position tothe flow of air through the humidifier box with their lower endsimmersed in the water contained in the water reservoir of the box. Theheated air from the fan contacts the exposed surfaces of the sheet andthus becomes saturated or partially saturated with water vapor.

The capillary material sheets may be mounted on brackets'rigidlyattached in the humidifier box in spaced parallel position to the flowof air through the box as shown in Figure 2, or the sheets may bemounted on a removable rack as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The moistenedair upon reaching the opening 5 contacts the exposed part of thearomatizer' wick positioned in the opening 5. The aromatizer is adetachable unit and may be removed from the opening at will. Its purposeis to neutralize odoriferous conditions in the space being humidified,such as may be I from the moistened sheet in passing through thehumidifier box. We have found that it is far more efiicient to heat theair than to heat the water in the reservoir, since by our methodpractically all of the energy is utilized effectively to the desiredend. Only the moisture in the exposed surfaces of the sheets need beheated by our method. When heat the maximum possible evaporation fromthe .a small fraction of the total amount of heat.

applied to the water. It is to be understood, however, that the heateris to be used where humidifier is desired, but it is not the purpose ofthis-invention to, limit the device disclosed herein to the use of thisheater. As can be readily seen from the manner of mounting anautomatically operated mercoid switch when water in the reservoir of thehumidifier box reaches a level such that only a small portionof thecapillary sheets are immersed in the water, the mercoid assumes ahorizontal position and the mercury in the switch no longer contactswith both electrical terminals. The fan is then thrown out of power andautomatically stops. The float housing in the reservoir holds the floatdeeply immersed so that the water level inthe reservoir must recedeconsiderably before the float can lower and allow thevmer coid to breakthe electrical circuit.

If desired, the intake and outlet openings of the humidifier box may beequipped with any screen or grating material to present a pleasingappearance.

The apparatus may be designed to permit a drawer 4.2 tobe positionedunder the fan along the baseboard thereof for storing additionalcapillary sheets.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be Varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by theprior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. A portable humidifier comprising a fan, a water reservoir, capillarymaterial panels extending from said reservoir, a housing for said panelsand heating means interposed between the fan and the capillary materialpanels to supply heat to the air streams created by the fan and therebyincrease the moisture absorbing capacity of said air before said airreaches said capillary panels.

relation to expose their surfaces to air streams created by the fan, aremovable rack for supporting said sheets and.v ahousing'enclosing saidrack and sheets.

4. A portable humidifier consisting of 9. .fan, a water reservoir,afloat housing hav ing the top thereof substantially below the top ofthe reservoir, a float positioned in said float housing, a mercoidswitch operable by said float to automatically throw said .fan out ofpower when the amount of water in the reservoir is insuflicient forproper humidification, reinforced capillary material sheets immersed insaid reservoir and extending therea from in spaced relation parallelwith and ex- "posed to the streams of air from said fan, a housingprovided with air ingress and egress openings enclosing said sheets,supporting means for the sheets in said housing, an aromatizerpositioned in the air egress opening of'said housing and a heating coilinterposed between said fan and sheets.

:5. Aremovable humidifier rack supporting capillary material panels,comprising inverted flattened U-end members, top cross members in spacedparallel relation supported by said inverted U-members, a member rigidlyaflixed across the open portion of each U member spaced from theextremities of said U to allow the extending portions of said U to actas legs for the rack, bottom cross members in spaced parallel relationdiametrically opposite said top, cross members supported by the memberrigidly aflixed across the open portion of each U-member and transversecrossed members rigidly aflixed on the sides of said U-member to addrigidity to the rack.

6. A capillary material panel for a humidifier comprising a capillarymaterial sheet containing wafile-like deformations and means reinforcingthe edges of said sheet.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto subscribed our names at Chicago,Cook County, Illinois.

ANTHONY J. LORENZ. FRANK E. HARTMAN.

2. A humidifier comprising a fan, a water

